Creature of Colours

Back home again and what better place to jump back into local water again than a midnight dive at Port Noarlunga.

The visibility was not great, there was some surge and a strong current but nothing stopping another great macro photography session.

There was not much critter action around aside from a huge amount of shellfish mating taking place in the southern weedbeds. My original plan for the dive was to find and photograph nudibranchs but my tally for the night was a big zero.

One highlight of my dive was this awesomely colourful Southern Dumpling Squid, Euprymna tasmanicas. The amazing colours in the dumpling squid are due to the chromataphores in the skin. Using the chromataphores the dumpling squid is able to change its colours to either camouflage or make itself aggressive as needs arise. On a dark night the squid's chromataphores resume this natural colourful state captured in the camera's strobe.

After a very pleasant 2 hours underwater we surfaced to an abandoned jetty, no jetty lights and a starry night sky.


Photo: Robert Rath, 'Creature of Colours', 1/160s f/22 ISO400 100mm